Combination filter element support and anti-prefill valve
A combined filter element support and anti-prefill valve is used with an annular filter element having an annular filter media with a hollow core for filtering lubricating oil or fuel. The combined filter element includes a unitary body having an annular portion, wherein the annular portion has annular shoulder extending radially therefrom for supporting the filter element, and a sealing section which engages the end plate over a continuous location which is coaxial with the central spin-on opening. The unitary body has a radially extending plate portion having an axially positioned one-way valve unitary therewith, which valve opens in an axial direction toward the spin-opening. In a preferred embodiment, the one-way valve is configured by a pair of lips which normally abut along a line and separate when subjected to oil or fuel pressure.
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This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/965,805, filed Oct. 1, 2001, filed on even date herewith, entitled “Three Valve Filter Element Support for Filter Cartridge,” and incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention is directed to a filter element support and anti-prefill valve. More particularly, this invention is directed to a combination filter element support and anti-prefill valve for use with liquid filters, especially lubrication oil or fuel filters used with internal combustion engines.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONFilter cartridges include valves which perform several functions such as a bypass function when the filter media becomes clogged and an anti-drainback function to prevent oil from leaving the filter cartridge when the engine with which the filter cartridge is connected is not running. An additional need is to provide a clean side valve which prevents drainback of clean fluid from an installed filter cartridge. There is another need because filter installers occasionally fill a new filter cartridge with unfiltered oil or fuel prior to installation of the new filter cartridge.
During manufacture, when dispirate parts are matched, the risk of failure is increased because one of the parts may be of inferior quality and adversely effect the reliability of the entire assembly. It is frequently time consuming and therefore costly to assemble the plurality of elements in order to configure an item reliably. Consequently, utilizing only a single element can then be advantageous. This is especially the case with mass produced items such as filters for engine lubricating oil which are manufactured by the millions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn view of the aforementioned considerations, the present invention is directed to a combination filter element support and anti-prefill valve for use with an annular filter element having an annular filter media with a hollow core and disposed within a housing. The housing is closed by an end plate having a central spin-on outlet opening and a plurality of spaced, radially disposed inlets. The combination filter element support and anti-prefill valve comprise a unitary body having an annular portion having an annular shoulder extending radially therefrom for supporting the filter element and a sealing section which engages the end plate over a continuous location which is coaxial with the central spin-on outlet opening. The unitary body further includes a radially extending plate portion having an axially positioned one-way valve unitary therewith. The one-way valve opens in an axial direction toward the spin-on outlet opening. The one-way valve closes to prevent oil from flowing through the central spin-on opening into the hollow core of the filter element and opens when oil or fuel is being circulated through the filter element under pumping pressure.
In a more specific aspect, the one-way valve is a purse valve comprising lips which intersect along a line. The lips project away from the hollow core of the filter media and are biased together at the line, wherein fluid pressure in the hollow core separates the lips along the line to open the one-way valve and wherein fluid pressure outside of the filter element applied against the lips urges the lips into engagement along the line to close the one-way valve.
In still a more specific aspect, there are two lips joined by web portions which flex allowing the lips to part along the line providing an opening through which the fluid flows.
In still a further aspect of the invention, the radially extending plate portion which has the one-way valve unitary therewith is disposed in spaced relation to the annular shoulder at an end of the annular portion opposite the sealing section.
In still a more specific aspect of the invention, the unitary body is made of rubber or another suitable flexible resilient material.
This invention is also directed to the combination filter element support and anti-pre-fill valve discussed above in combination with a filter canister having housing closed by an end plate having therein the central spin-on outlet opening and plurality of spaced, radially disposed inlets, and further including an annular filter media having a hollow core disposed within the housing between the outlet opening and the plurality of spaced, radially disposed inlets.
Various other features and attendant advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:
Referring now to
As is seen in
The housing 14 is closed by a base plate 24 which is retained in position by a cover 26 that is crimped to the wall of the housing 14. The base plate 26 has a central spin-on opening 28 which is internally threaded and a plurality of radially positioned spaced openings 30. The filter element support 12 provides a barrier which separates the spaced radial openings 30 from the central spin-on opening 28. Accordingly, when the spaced radial openings 30 are inlet openings, the liquid flows in the direction of arrows 32 into a space 34 between the end cap 18 and end plate 24 and then into an annular space 36 between the filter media 16 and the housing wall. The liquid then flows through the filter media 16 into the hollow core 20 and out through a one-way valve 40 in the filter element support 12. Since the valve 40 is communication with the central opening 28, the fluid returns to the engine.
As is seen in
On the shoulder 48 rests the end cap 18 of the filter element 15. The filter element 15 is urged into engagement with the shoulder 48, a spring element (not shown) such as a coil spring which engages the top end cap 17 (
Radially extending plate portion 46 which has the one-way valve 40 thereon is at a second end 54 of the annular portion 44 opposite the sealing surface 50 and extends completely across the annular portion 44 to define a chamber 56 which communicates with the threaded central opening 28. The chamber 56 has an axial depth sufficient to accommodate the depth of the one-way valve 40. The plate portion 46 has a web portion 58 and a peripheral portion 59. The plate portion 46 is supported only at the peripheral portion 59 thereof on the second end 54 of the annular portion 44.
As is best seen in
One-way valve 40 forms two functions, one of which is to retain clean side fluid within the hollow core 20 of the filter element 10 and the other of which is to prevent an unscrupulous filter installer from filling filter cartridges with used or unfiltered oil or fuel during a filter change. If an attempt is made to fill the cartridge 10 by pouring used or unfiltered oil or some other fluid into the filter cartridge, one-way valve 40 remains shut. Since the access to the one-way valve 40 is through the small central opening 28 in the end plate 18, it is difficult to deflect the edges 68 and 70 of the lips 64 and 66 respectively from outside the filter cartridge 10 so as to create the opening 90. Accordingly, the temptation to refill new filter cartridges with used or unfiltered oil or fuel is minimized.
From the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention, and without departing form the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications of the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions.
Claims
1. A combination filter element support and anti-prefill valve for use with an annular filter element having an annular filter media with a hollow core and disposed within a housing, wherein the housing is closed by an end plate having a central spin-on outlet opening and a plurality of spaced radially disposed inlets, the combination comprising:
- a unitary body having an axially extending annular portion, wherein the annular portion has at one end an annular shoulder extending radially therefrom for supporting the filter element and a sealing section which engages the end plate over a continuous location which is coaxial with the central spin-on opening, the unitary body being of a single piece, and
- the unitary body including a radially extending plate portion defined by a web portion and a peripheral portion, at a second end of the annular portion the plate portion being supported in spaced relation to the end plate only at the peripheral portion of the plate portion, the web portion having an axially positioned one way valve unitary therewith which opens in an axial direction toward the spin-on opening, the one way valve closing to prevent oil or fuel from flowing through the central spin-on opening and into the hollow core of the filter element and opening when fluid is being circulated under pumping pressure.
2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the annular portion is extends axially into the hollow core.
3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the one way valve is a purse valve comprising lips which intersect along a line, the lips projecting away from the hollow core and being biased together at the line, whereby fluid pressure in the hollow core separates the lips along the line to open the one way valve and fluid pressure outside of the filter element applied against the lips urges the lips into engagement along the line to close the one way valve.
4. The combination of claim 3 wherein there are two lips, the two lips being joined by web portions which flex, allowing the two lips to part along the line providing an opening through which the fluid flows.
5. The combination of claim 4 wherein the radially extending plate portion is disposed in spaced relation to the annular shoulder at an end of the annular portion opposite the sealing section to define a chamber for receiving the one way valve.
6. The combination of claim 5 wherein the unitary body is made of rubber.
7. The combination of claim 6 wherein the filter element support and anti-prefill valve are in further combination with a filter cartridge having the annular filter element therein and wherein the annular filter media is a media for filtering engine lubricating oil or fuel.
8. The combination of claim 3 wherein the filter element support and anti-prefill valve are in further combination with a filter cartridge having the annular filter element therein and wherein the annular filter media is a media for filtering engine lubricating oil or fuel.
9. The combination of claim 1 wherein the filter element support and anti-prefill valve are in further combination with a filter cartridge having the annular filter element therein and wherein the annular filter media is a media for filtering engine lubricating oil or fuel.
10. The combination of claim 1 wherein the radially extending plate portion is disposed in spaced relation to the annular shoulder at an end of the annular portion opposite the sealing section to define a chamber for receiving the one way valve.
11. The combination of claim 1 wherein the unitary body is made of rubber.
3369666 | February 1968 | Hultgren et al. |
3567023 | March 1971 | Buckman et al. |
3802564 | April 1974 | Turman |
4524805 | June 25, 1985 | Hoffman |
Type: Grant
Filed: Oct 1, 2001
Date of Patent: Dec 13, 2005
Assignee: Wix Filtration Corp. (Gastonia, NC)
Inventor: Darrell T. McKenzie (Gastonia, NC)
Primary Examiner: Terry K. Cecil
Attorney: Berenato, White & Stavish
Application Number: 09/965,806